The killer at the heart of Trump’s racist ad was set free—by Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio

The killer at the heart of Trump’s racist ad was set free—by Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio

The capper for Trump’s season of fear has been an ad so racist that it’s made even Republican dirty tricksters turn away in shame. This isn’t a dog whistle. Or a trumpet. Or a fog horn. It’s just racism.

But as it turns out, it’s not just racism. It’s also a complete lie. As reported by the Washington Post, the ad opens with the horrific words of violent murderer Luis Bracamontes who bragged of his killings at trial and threatened to kill more.

As it turns out, Bracamontes did enter the country at least three times. And was deported twice. Then he got back in during the Bush administration and … he stayed. He got married in 2002 and lived in both Arizona and Utah. The killer went on to live in the US for thirteen years before the meth-related killings in 2014.

But that’s not the worst part. In Bracamontes was picked up on drug charges in Phoenix and turned over to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Trump’s “tough, tough” friend, Joe Arpaio. Joe Arpaio, the guy who Trump pardoned for refusing a court order.

Turns out, it was just Trump passing along a favor. Because Arpaio was also in a forgiving mood when he had Bracamontes in custody. Despite repeat drug charges and being in the country without documentation, Arpaio released Bracamontes “for reasons unknown.”